Type-writing machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. W. SEARING. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 452,290. Patented Mey l2, 1891.

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(No Model.)

l y 3 sheets-sheen 2. T. W. SEARING. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 452,290.Patented May 12, 1891.

m: news pneus co., movmnwu., msmxm'on, u. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 3.

T. W. SEARING. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 152,290..v Patented May 12,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

THEODORE WV. SEARING, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO THE PEARL TYPEVRITER COMPANY, OF NEV JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,290, dated May 12,1891.

Application tiled August 9, 1890. Serial No. 361,575. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, THEoDoRE W. SEARING, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of NewYork, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in type-writers, its object beingto make the 0peration of the machine automatic by the action of one keyand cause a direct movement of the type characters against the paperdestined to receive the impression.

The object, further, is to simplify the manufacture of this class ofmachines over those heretofore in use, and also make the machineentirely automatic both in feeding the papercarriage, inking the type,and obtaining an impression parallel to the face of type, all by theaction of one key. The means by which I obtain these results is morefully shown in the drawings accompanying this specication.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section through the center of themachine. Fig. 2isapartial top view of the machine as it appears with thetype-Wheel removed. Fig. 3 represents a top view of the entire machine.Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detached details onan enlarged scale.

A represents the supporting-base, and A' a metal plate secured thereon.The base is cut away, as shown at A2, and the plate A' has an openingA3, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and which is over thecut-away portion of the base A.

B is a slide adapted to move on the plate A' over the opening A3, theslide being held in position by a cross-piece B', secured to its underside, the ends of which engage the under side of the plate A', asindicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2. This slide B moves at a right angleto the movementof the paper-carriage.

O is a spindle rigidly secured to the slide B, its upper portion E beingreduced in diameter, a shoulder E' being formed thereby.

D is the type-wheel, having a sleeve D' rigidly attached thereto. Thesleeve D' tits over the reduced portion E ofthe spindle and rests on theshoulder E', thereby supporting the type-wheel D, which can turn freelyon the spindle C.

F is the operating-key, constructed as shown in Fig. 4. This key ispivoted to the lugs a on the under side of the type-wheel D by the pinb, the spindle C passing through the slot f in the key. The key F istherefore capable of vertical movement, and also serves to revolve thetype-Wheel D on the spindle C.

Upon the rim of the type-wheel D, I have cut a groove c of sufficientwidth and depth to admit the strip d, (shown in Fig. 6,) having theproper type characters thereon. These characters may be made of met-alor or part rubber and part metal; but in the present instance I preferrubber. At each end of the metal strip clamps e are secured, by which itcan be hooked on the pinsfon the type-wheel D.

To change the type from one kind to another, it is only necessary tolift the ends of the strip d off the pins f and substitute another.

G is a forked lever pivoted to the lug g on the slide B. The forkedportion of the lever extends forward to the spindle O, which is betweenthe forks, and the ends of the prongs of the fork are turned upward, asshown in Fig. 5. The lower end of the lever G passes through a slot inthe slide B and the opening A3 in the plate A' and is pivotallyconnected to one end of a rod G', whose other end is secured to a lug hon the under side of the plate A'. The rod'G' passes through a slot inthe lu g p, which projects downwardly from the cross-piece B', and aspiral spring p'surrounds the rod G' between the lugs p and h. A collarg' fits loosely over the spindle C and rests on the turned-up ends ofthe prongs of the lever G, and projections f2 on the key F engage theupper face of thecollar g. On depressing the key F the lever G willswing on its pivotal connection to the rod G', and thereby cause theslide B to move forward,

the lug p compressing the spring 19' in the 9 forward movement. Onreleasing the key F the spring p' will react and throw the slide B backagain.

Perfect alignment is essential to all typewriters, and to obtain this Ihave cut grooves t' on the lower rim of the type-wheel. These groovescorrespond in number and distance apart to the type characters. I use astationary pin j, having a knife-edge and secured to the support Iii,that will enter the grooves on the wheel at each advance, and in casethe wheel is not exactly in position the pin will force the wheel to itsproper position and lock it there while the impression is beingproduced.

The paper-carriagc I is arranged to slide in guides k. These guides holdthe carriage at the back part, and the support Il, which is in the formof a channel-iron, holds the front part, allowing the carriage to moveto the right or left and at a right angle tothe movement of the slide B.

Upon the base of the carriage-frame a deep rack .I is cut and answersthe double purpose of a feed and alignment adjuster.

By referring to Fig. 2a flat pin K is shown attached to the slide B, andany slight overfeed of the carriage will be rectified by this pinentering` the rack and adjusting the earriage properly when key F isdepressed. The feed-pawl Z is connected to the lever L by a pivot m, anda spring n presses the pawl into the rack J. The lever L is bent, asshown, and pivoted on the plate A', its longest arm being held betweentwo adjustable arms o 0 on the slide B, the movement of the latterswinging the lever on its pivot and causing the pawl Z to feed thecarriage at each movement of the slide B. The disengaged lever M is forthe purpose of throwing the pawlZ out at the completion of a line andallows the carriage to be moved back to a startii'igpoint.

The paper-carriage I is fitted with an elastic surface-roller II,suitably supported in journals on the plate A'. At the top of the rolleris the platen N', having a flat surface to rcceive the impression. Atthe lower part of the feed-roller clips q hold the paper against theelastic surface of the roller. These clips q are preferably made byforming numerous teeth in a piece of metal, the teeth pressing againstthe paper.

O is a lever attached to the piece of metal on which the clips areformed and which serves to disengage the clips from the paper, as may bedesired.

For turning the paper a distance of one line, or what is termed spacingfI use a thumb-piece P at one end of the roller N, which thumb-piece hasteeth p2 cut thereon, and a spring p3, att-ached to the paper-carriage,engages the teeth.

As an indicator to warn the operator to stop printing before the fulllimit of travel of the paper-carriage has been reached and also to allowthe completion of a word properly on each line, I have placed the bellQ, (shown in Fig. 3) on the plate A', having a striking-lever q'arranged to come in Contact with apin q2, secured to the carriage. Asthe paper-carriage moves toward the left-hand side of the machine, andas soon as the lever slips oit the pin rfi, the bell will ring, thusgiving the operator warning that the end of the line is nearly reached.

On top of the type-wheel D, I have placed the index-plate R in full viewof the operator. This plate is rigidly secured to the spindle E by anarm S and has a central aperture, through which the sleeve D' passes,thus allowing the type-wheel D to revolve freclybeneath the index-plate.As is shown in Fig. 3, the characters are arranged on or near the edgeand have graduating-marks to assist the eye in stopping the pointer T.This pointer is secured to the sleeve of the type-wheel and turns withthe key F and wheel I).

Upon the support 1I is secured a thin plate S, bent at a right angle,and in the vertical portion a slot is cut of just sufficient width topermit one type character to pass and come in contact with the paper onthe flat surface of the platen N. This slot is the common printing-pointfor all the type characters.

V V are inking-rollers carried by arms v, secured to the index-plate R,one on each side of the printing-point and at a suitable distancetherefrom. These rollers may be of silk, felt, or any suitable absorbentmaterial. As the type-wheel is revolved the characters will come incontact with the inking-rollers and be inked. A wire t is employed tohold the sheet of paper against the platen N'.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The lever O is pulledforward to release the paper-clip. The sheet of paper is then insertedand brought to bear against the fiat surface of the platen N', and byreversing the lever the clips will hold the paper to the roller. Afterthe paper has been properly placed in the holder the key F is used byturning it to the right or left to bring the pointer T over the desiredcharacter on the index-plate R, and then by depressing the key the slideB will advance, operating the lever I. to move the fecd-pawl l backwardand also causing the pin K to enter the rack J. As the wheel D advanceswith the slide B the pin j will enter one of the grooves z', cut on theunder rim of the type-wheel, and bring the wheel into proper positionand lock it there. The impression is not produced until the full limitof the stroke is reached, thus giving ample time for the carriage andtypewheel to adj ust themselves in position. Upon release of thepressure from the key F the slide B will recede and swing t-he lever Lon its pivot, thereby operatingthepawllto force the carriage I one notchforward. As the tendency of the spring p' is to force the key F upward,it is only necessary to turn thekey tothe right or left and depress itto print each character desired, and on releasing the key the spring p'will cause the slide to retreat and the carriage to move automatically.

To space between words, I leave a blank space of the type-strip, and bymoving the pointer to the corresponding point on the index-plate anddepressing the key the carriage IIO will feed, but no impression will bemade on the paper.

Having described my invention, I claim--` l. In a single-keytype-writer, the combination of a supporting-base, a paper-carriagemovable thereon in a horizontal plane, a plate adapted to slide on thebase in a horizontal plane, but in a direction at a right angle to themovement of the paper-carriage, a vertical spindle carried by thesliding plate, a typewheel on the spindle adapted to revolve in ahorizontal plane, a key hinged at one end tov vice interposed betweenthe key andthe link-and-lever connection to transmit motion from one tothe other, and a paper-carriage, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. In a single-key type-Writer, the supporting-base, a paper-carriagemovable in a horizontal plane thereon, and a slide B, also movable in ahorizontal plane on said base, but in a direction at a right angle tothat of the paper-carriage, combined with a spindle rigidly attached tothe slide, a revoluble type-wheel carried by said spindle, a key pivotedto the type-Wheel and provided with a slot through which the spindlepasses, a forked lever pivoted to said slide, a link connecting one endof the lever to the base, a collar surrounding the spindle andinterposed between the key and the forked end of the lever, and a springto retract the slide, substantially as specied.

4. In a single-key type-writer, the supporting-base, a paper-carriagemovable in a horizontal plane on said base, said carriage being providedwith a rack J, and a pin j, rigidly secured to a suitable support on thebase, combined with a slide B, having a pin K, adapted to enter betweenthe teeth of the rack J, arevoluble type-wheel carried by the said slideand having a series of grooves on its lower rim, into which the pin j isadapted to enter, and means, substantially as described, to move theslide and type-Wheel in a horizontal plane toward the paper-carriage, asand for the purpose specified.

VTHEODORE IV. SEARING.

Witnesses:

D. F. HOXIE, CORNELIUS VAN CLEEF.

